Two-color flexible light source, system and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

Lighting devices, systems, and methods of manufacture are described herein. The lighting device includes at least one substrate and at least one pair of diodes located on the at least one substrate. The first and second diodes in each pair are electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration. At least a first diode in each pair of diodes is an LED. The lighting device also includes at least two electrical contact lines that may power at least the first diode in each pair via a drive current. A first diode in each pair of diodes is energized by a drive current that positively biases the first diode and reversely biases the second diode, and is de-energized by a drive current that reversely biases the first diode and positively biases the second diode.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 526319, filed July 12, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0002] The automotive industry's technology has trended towards elongated, strip-shaped lighting solutions for both interior and exterior lighting functions. New styling solutions for automotive interior and exterior lighting (e.g., white light strips for daytime running lights (DRLs) and positioning lighting, amber light strips for signaling, and red light strips for parking / rear functions) continue to be sought. Furthermore, new styling solutions are being sought for both interior and exterior lighting purposes. For example, contour line and roof rail lighting, as well as grille area lighting, are becoming increasingly popular, even though grille area lighting is ineffective for electric vehicles. One rising trend in this technology is the use of homogeneous line emitters, or "coins." Summary of the Invention

[0003] This document describes a lighting device, system, and method of manufacture. The lighting device includes at least one substrate and at least one pair of diodes located on the at least one substrate. A first diode and a second diode in each pair are electrically coupled together in an antiparallel configuration. At least the first diode in each pair is an LED. The lighting device also includes at least two electrical contact lines that can supply power to at least the first diode in each pair via a drive current. The first diode in each pair is energized by a drive current that forward-biases the first diode and reverse-biases the second diode, and de-energized by reverse-biasing the first diode and forward-biasing the second diode. Attached Figure Description

[0004] A more detailed understanding can be obtained from the following description, which is given by way of example and in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein: Figure 1A This is a diagram showing the stacking of a flexible foil printed circuit board (PCB) with S-wires provided between the interlayer layers; Figure 1B yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of a flexible foil PCB, showing an interposer layer and an LED on the interposer layer; Figure 2A This is another example of a flexible foil PCB; Figure 2B It is used for electrical coupling, control and drive. Figure 1A , Figure 1B or Figure 2A A circuit diagram of an example LED circuit on a flexible foil PCB; Figure 3 It is used for Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A or Figure 2B A circuit diagram of an example circuit 300 for electrically coupling, controlling and driving LEDs on a flexible foil PCB; Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 4C , Figure 4D and Figure 4E It shows the use of Figure 3 Circuit diagrams of different electrical contact schemes for example circuits; Figure 5A and 5B It shows the method for... Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A or Figure 2B A circuit diagram of an example circuit for electrically coupling, controlling and driving LEDs on a flexible foil PCB, wherein the first and second diodes in each pair of diodes are respectively disposed on separate interposer pads; Figure 6 It shows according to Figure 3 A or Figure 3 The circuit diagram of the scheme shown in Figure B is for seven pairs of LEDs, with each pair of LEDs electrically coupled to an electrical contact line; Figure 7 It is used for Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A or Figure 2B A circuit diagram of an example circuit for electrically coupling, controlling, and driving LEDs on a flexible foil PCB, wherein the second diode in each pair of diodes is not an LED; Figure 8 It shows according to Figure 7 The circuit diagram of the scheme shown in the figure has five (5) groups of LED / diode pairs, each of which is electrically coupled to an electrical contact wire; Figure 9 It shows according to Figure 7 The circuit diagram of the seven (7) LED / diode pairs shown, each electrically coupled to an electrical contact wire; Figure 10 This is a flowchart of an example method for manufacturing a lighting device according to any embodiment described herein; and Figure 11 This is a flowchart of an example method for manufacturing a motor vehicle lighting system according to any embodiment described herein. Detailed Implementation

[0005] Examples of different light illumination systems and / or light-emitting diode (LED) implementations will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These examples are not mutually exclusive, and features found in one example may be combined with features found in one or more other examples to achieve further implementations. Therefore, it will be understood that the examples shown in the accompanying drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this disclosure in any way. Similar figures always refer to similar elements.

[0006] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element and a second element may be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of the invention. As used herein, the term "and / or" may include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0007] It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as "on" or "extending" to another element, it can be directly on or directly extended to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly on" or "directly extended" to another element, there may be no intermediate elements present. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element and / or connected or coupled to the other element via one or more intermediate elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intermediate elements between that element and the other element. It will be understood that, except for any orientation depicted in the figures, these terms are intended to cover different orientations of elements.

[0008] Relative terms such as “below,” “above,” “top,” “lower,” “horizontal,” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region shown in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in addition to those depicted in the figures.

[0009] Traditional lighting strips can be hampered by their cost structure due to the complex stacking of individual wires connecting the interlayer to form the circuit. This cost structure may require expensive components assembled individually using costly surface mount technology (“SMT”) assembly processes, with multiple solder joints within a single homogeneous line emitter. Furthermore, the mounting of the wires on the back side of the interlayer of the homogeneous line emitter, and the mounting of the light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) on the front side of the interlayer, can result in a considerably thick homogeneous line emitter. Additionally, traditional lighting strips may lack true three-dimensional (3D) flexibility and cannot withstand the harsh conditions of automotive use due to the large size found in conventional techniques, whether integrated or not into silicone. Such traditional lighting strips are also typically limited to a single color (usually white), which is undesirable for automotive applications, which, in addition to white, can at least benefit from red and amber to enable many different and increasingly common lighting functions in vehicles.

[0010] The embodiments described herein provide a flexible automotive-grade light source. Typically, flexible automotive-grade light sources are more cost-effective, characterized by small size, high flexibility, high luminous flux, high uniformity, and automotive-grade robustness with inexpensive components. As described in detail below, the embodiments further enable this light source to have multicolor capabilities.

[0011] For example, flexible automotive-grade light sources can utilize specially shaped flexible foil printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) stacked together, which include flexible 3D LED light sources. In embodiments, the flexible foil PCBA can be a thin-film flexible foil PCBA. The specially shaped flexible foil PCBA can replace the conductors and interposers of conventional technologies. The specially shaped flexible foil PCBA can include electrical connection schemes in which each metal layer provides two or three electrical contact lines, which realize multiple electrical contact lines in a vertical stack of metal layers. For example, two metal layers with two electrical contact lines can each realize four electrical contact lines, which allows for greater flexibility to electrically connect flexible 3D LED light sources compared to conventional technologies. For example, in conventional technologies, the number of electrical contact lines may be limited to three due to space availability. Furthermore, the two or three electrical contact lines of each metal layer can include segments configured to withstand automotive reliability requirements (e.g., three or more bends, such as five (5) bends or semicircular / semi-sine segments). Embodiments that provide four or more electrical contact lines via multiple metal layers enable individual addressing of LED segments in the strip as well as multi-color functionality, as described in detail below.

[0012] Figure 1AThis diagram illustrates a stack of flexible foil PCBs 101 and 102 that provide S-wires (e.g., in region 110) between interposers 120. According to one or more embodiments, flexible 3D LED light sources can be created using specially shaped flexible foil PCB stacks, where the flexible foil PCBs can replace the wires and interposers that carry LEDs in conventional techniques.

[0013] exist Figure 1A In the example illustrated, the flexible foil PCBs 101 and 102 can be configured such that the region 110 between the interposer layers 120 on which LEDs are placed can include any number of curved shapes to mimic, for example, a meandering river, a serpentine or serpentine shape, a parabolic shape, an elliptical shape, and / or a sinusoidal shape. The interposer layer 120 can have any shape (e.g., rectangular or irregular) and can be configured to accommodate the placement of SMT components (e.g., LEDs, microcontrollers, etc.). As described above, the region 110 can include multiple stacked metal layers, each metal layer including multiple electrical contact lines. In embodiments, the interposer layer 120 can be pads in the metal layers. In some embodiments, the metal layers and electrical contact lines can be formed of copper.

[0014] For example, the circular sinusoidal region 110 may include at least three portions 131, 132, and 135. The two outermost portions 131 and 135 terminate in the intermediate layer 120. Figure 1A As shown, a quarter circle or a half-sine can be drawn and integrated into the intermediary layer 120. According to one or more embodiments, the circular sine-shaped region 110 may include five portions 131, 132, 133, 134, and 135, wherein the inner portions 132, 133, and 134 are semicircular or half-sine shapes. For example, each portion 131, 132, 133, 134, and 135 may be horizontally flipped relative to the preceding or following portion (e.g., a mirror shift of adjacent portions). According to one or more embodiments, the five portions 131, 132, 133, 134, and 135 may have a lower amplitude at the height of the intermediary layer 120.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments, the features of at least three portions 131, 132, and 135 may be an outer boundary line (e.g., the outer boundary of a curved segment), an inner boundary line (e.g., the inner boundary of a curved segment), and two straight lines connecting the ends of the two boundary lines in the shortest manner. These straight lines are auxiliary lines only where the at least three portions 131, 132, and 135 are joined together. The inner boundary line of the outermost semicircle / semi-sine thus continues to follow the semicircular shape, resulting in the outermost semi-sines 131 and 135 forming a quarter-sine transitioning to a quarter-circle. The inner boundary line at the end of the semicircle then transforms into a spiral with the opposite curvature to the quarter-circle within the intermediary layer. In the boundary case, the spiral can become another semicircle. In this way, the edge already formed on the intermediary layer is cut off. The top boundary line of the semicircle / semi-sine terminates at the edge of the intermediary layer, smoothly transitioning from the semicircle / sine portion to the straight upper boundary of the intermediary layer. In summary, the flexible foil PCBA shape minimizes stress buildup during thermal cycling to the extent that the PCBA can be reliably embedded in the silicone matrix to form the desired light source and meet automotive reliability requirements.

[0016] The flexible foil PCBA can be configured such that the region 150 (also referred to herein as the LED pad) between the interposers 160 on which the LED 170 is placed includes any number of curved shapes to mimic the shapes of a meandering river, a serpentine or serpentine, parabolic, elliptical, and / or sinusoidal shape. According to one or more embodiments, the outermost curved second region segment can be partially integrated into the first region pad. Furthermore, the inner boundary line of the segment extends into the first region pad to form a semicircle, followed by a reverse-direction spiral to connect the inner boundary line of the integrated segment to the outer side of the pad. Additionally, the outer boundary line of the first half of the outermost segment extends partially into the pad in a similar manner and connects the segment boundary to the pad boundary with a semicircle or wobbling curve.

[0017] According to one or more embodiments, each flexible automotive-grade light source may include a PCBA embedded in a silicone matrix, providing a light source with uniform high-throughput light output. Furthermore, each flexible automotive-grade light source may be (e.g., each 3D LED product) mechanically flexible, biaxially bendable, and capable of meeting high automotive reliability requirements. Additionally, each flexible automotive-grade light source may be directly integrated as a malleable line or combined with suitable optical elements to produce an elongated light surface. According to one or more embodiments, each flexible automotive-grade light source may include segmented animation. Segments may include the ability to turn each segment on and off independently of other segments, which is required for signaling or animated welcome light functions. As described in detail below, each segment may correspond to a different color of light.

[0018] According to one or more embodiments, a flexible automotive-grade light source can be configured with: a height selected from 0.01 cm to 1.1 cm (e.g., 8 mm); a width selected from 0.01 cm to 1.0 cm (e.g., 6 mm); a luminous area width selected from 0.01 cm to 1.1 cm (e.g., 8 mm); and a total length selected from 1 cm to 500 cm (e.g., 10 cm or 100 cm). For example, a flexible automotive-grade light source can be an 8×8 mm light source with uniform high-throughput light output. 2 Slender (up to 50 cm) light sources. Flexible automotive-grade light sources can provide the maximum permissible LED-to-LED spacing, and therefore the oscillation of the waveform structure can be limited by the thickness of the thin light source. For example, an LED-to-LED spacing of 22 mm can be used for a height of 8 mm to still maintain the uniformity of the emitted light while minimizing the components required per total length. As another example, flexible automotive-grade light sources with larger spacing are easier to manufacture compared to wired methods of conventional techniques. At this point, the maximum spacing can depend on the size of the hybrid box of the flexible automotive-grade light source. For example, when uniform light output should be maintained, a flexible automotive-grade light source (e.g., 6 × 8 mm) may be suitable. 2 The 3D LED size can be used to estimate the maximum LED-to-LED pitch of 22 mm.

[0019] According to one or more embodiments, a flexible automotive-grade light source may include a light source with a luminous area length equivalent to its total length, a light source that is flexible in three dimensions, and a light source with uniform light output on its luminous surface. According to one or more embodiments, a flexible automotive-grade light source may include a light source capable of immediate illumination (e.g., providing static illumination), a light source capable of segmented illumination (e.g., providing dynamic illumination), and a light source that meets the reliability requirements of motor vehicles.

[0020] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of a flexible foil PCB shows an interposer 154 and an LED 153 on the interposer 154. Figure 1BIn the example shown, LED 153 on interposer 154 is placed in an opening in white box 159. A metal layer 158 is shown, which includes three electrical contact lines 155, 156, and 157. As discussed in detail herein, multiple layers (e.g., up to four metal layers or possibly more) can be stacked vertically, each metal layer including one or more (e.g., up to three) electrical contact lines. White box 159 is filled with one or more silicone materials. Transparent silicone may fill the space below the interposer in the white box. One or more silicone layers 152 may fill the space above the LED in the white box, and diffuser 151 may be placed on top. The diffuser may have a maximum thickness w.

[0021] In one embodiment, the white box 159 may be made of a silicone matrix that meets automotive-grade reliability requirements. According to one or more embodiments, the silicone matrix may include a white reflective H-shaped external optical mixing box, wherein the connecting horizontal bar of the H is asymmetrically pulled to the bottom of the H. Furthermore, a flexible foil PCBA is placed in a first cavity of the H, and a rectangular hole stamped into the connecting horizontal bar of the H accommodates LEDs connected by the flexible foil PCBA to illuminate a second cavity of the H. The first cavity may be smaller than the second cavity. Both cavities may also be filled with transparent silicone, wherein the transparent silicone may have a wavy surface structure on its top side filled and covered with diffusing silicone. The diffusing silicone may be characterized in that the maximum diffuser thickness w of the wavy structure is located above the LEDs, while the minimum diffuser thickness point is located between the LEDs. Additional circular holes may be added to the connecting horizontal bar of the H to allow the silicone to diffuse through the bar during vacuum processing, which may, for example, help remove air bubbles in flexible automotive-grade light sources. Furthermore, the rectangular hole accommodating the LEDs may extend towards the wall of the outer box to facilitate silicone diffusion through the connecting horizontal bar of the H during vacuum processing. In some embodiments, the space between the intermediary layers may correspond to the maximum diffuser thickness.

[0022] Figure 2A This is a diagram of another example of a flexible foil PCB 200. According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil PCB 200 may be a single piece. According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil PCB 200 may be embedded in a silicone matrix. Figure 2A In the example shown, the flexible foil PCB 200 includes a first pad 201, a second pad 202, and a flexible foil region 203.

[0023] The first and second pads 201 and 202 may include a first portion 213, a second portion 215, and a third portion 217. The first and second pads 201 and 202 may include conductive portions 221 and 222. The first and second pads 201 and 202 may include vias to connect the conductive portions 221 and 222 to any surface of the flexible foil PCB.

[0024] The first and second pads 201 and 202 can be of any shape, such as rectangular or irregular. The first and second pads 201 and 202 can be configured to accommodate the placement of SMT components (e.g., LEDs, microcontrollers, etc.) relative to the conductive portions 221 and 222. According to one or more embodiments, one or more LEDs may be present on a first side of the first and second pads 201 and 202. According to one or more embodiments, at least one connection structure may be present on at least one of the second sides of the first and second pads 201 and 202 to enable the one or more LEDs to be electrically connected to a power source.

[0025] According to one or more embodiments, the first portion 213 may be a rectangular or square pad for placing SMT components. Second and third portions 215 and 217 may protrude from the first portion 213. The shapes of the second and third portions 215 may correspond to the shape of the flexible foil region 203 (e.g., irregularly shaped pads may include protrusions matching the outermost ends of the flexible foil region). One or more technical effects, benefits, or advantages of the shapes of the second and third portions 215 corresponding to the shape of the flexible foil region 203 include elimination of electrical interference, electromagnetic interference, radio frequency interference, electromagnetic induction, electrostatic coupling, or the like. Furthermore, an outer boundary 225 may define or characterize the first and second pads 201 and 202. The outer boundary 225 may include a non-conductive material.

[0026] The flexible foil region 203 may be a portion of a flexible foil PCB substrate between first and second pads 201 and 202 (a pair of two or more pads). The flexible foil region 203 may include multiple metal layers, such as multiple copper layers. Each layer may contain electrical contact lines to form a circuit with the first and second pads 201 and 202. For example, the flexible foil region 203 may include a first conductive material 231 and a second conductive material 232, which respectively connect the conductive portions of the first and second pads 201 and 202. The flexible foil region 203 may include vias to connect electrical contact lines to any surface of the flexible foil region 203. The flexible foil region 203 may include any number of curved shapes to mimic the shape of a meandering river, a serpentine or parabolic, elliptical, and / or sinusoidal shape.

[0027] According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil region 203 may include a sinusoidal bend (e.g., the bend substantially follows a half-sine path). According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil region 203 includes a semi-circular bend or a semi-elliptical bend (e.g., the bend substantially follows a semi-circular path or a semi-elliptical path). For example, the flexible foil region 203 may include at least three (3) semi-circular bends, such as five (5), to meet vehicle reliability requirements (e.g., in low-voltage vehicle lighting applications).

[0028] According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil region 203 includes parabolic bends (e.g., the bends substantially follow a parabolic curve path). For example, the flexible foil region 203 may include three (3) parabolic bends to meet vehicle reliability requirements (e.g., in low-voltage automotive lighting applications). According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil region 203 includes combinations of sinusoidal bends, semi-circular bends, semi-elliptical bends, and parabolic bends.

[0029] For example, the flexible foil region 203 may include (but is not limited to) three bent segments connecting pads 201 and 202. Figure 2A In the example shown, the flexible foil region 203 includes three curved segments 261, 262, and 263 (i.e., the curved portions of the flexible foil region 203). Furthermore, the flexible foil region 203 may define outer boundaries 265 and 266 and an inner boundary 267 of the curved segments, or may be characterized by the outer boundaries 265 and 266 and the inner boundary 267 of the curved segments. The outer boundaries 365 and 366 and the inner boundary 267 may comprise a non-conductive material.

[0030] Bending segment 261 (e.g., the outermost bending segment) may be partially integrated into the first pad 201. Bending segment 263 (e.g., the outermost bending segment) may be partially integrated into the second pad 202. The inner boundary 267 of the flexible foil region 203 extends into the first and second pads 201 and 202. According to one or more embodiments, and as shown in FIG2, the flexible foil region 203 may be bent into the first and second pads 201 and 202 at an angle of 35-40 degrees (e.g., oscillating about a substantially mirrored half-sine or parabolic path) to form a compartment 280 or similar opening. Thus, outer boundaries 265 and 266 extend into the outer plate 225 of the first and second pads 201 and 202. One or more technical effects, benefits, or advantages of the shape of the compartment 280 relative to the second and third portions 215 may include the elimination of electrical interference, electromagnetic interference, radio frequency interference, electromagnetic induction, electrostatic coupling, or the like.

[0031] Figure 2BThis is a diagram of another example flexible foil PCB 300 (e.g., a parabolic thin-film flexible foil PCBA) according to one or more embodiments. According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil PCB 300 may be a single piece. According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil PCB 300 may be embedded in a silicone matrix.

[0032] Figure 2B A repeating pattern is depicted, and the characteristics of the flexible foil PCB substrate 300 can be combined as described herein. The flexible foil PCB substrate 300 can be used in low-voltage automotive lighting applications. The flexible foil PCB 300 may include a plurality of pads 310, a plurality of flexible foil regions 320, and a plurality of compartments 430. The flexible foil regions 320 utilize a parabolic shape. According to one or more embodiments, the flexible foil regions 320 may include an amplitude less than or equal to the height of the pads 310. One or more technical effects, benefits, or advantages of the structure of the example flexible foil PCB substrate 300 include reducing the LED-to-LED pitch relative to the pads 310 from greater than 20 mm to equal to or less than 20 mm (e.g., 12 mm or less).

[0033] According to one or more embodiments, adjacent segments of the flexible foil region 320 may (along the length of the flexible foil PCB substrate 300) mirror adjacent segments joined at the ends of the line connecting the inner and outer boundaries (e.g., in the shortest manner). For example, the outermost curved segment of the flexible foil region 320 may be partially integrated into the adjacent pad 310 such that the inner boundary extends into the adjacent pad 310 by swaying left and right, thereby substantially mirroring a half-sine or parabolic curve at an angle of 35-40 degrees and forming a spacer-like opening. As another example, integrating the outermost curved segment of the flexible foil region 320 into the adjacent pad 310 may include bringing the outer boundary of the flexible foil region 320 to / extending to the outer boundary of the pad 310, which is followed by a helix of opposite direction to connect the inner boundary line of the integrated segment to the outer side of the pad (as shown in Figure 2 and...). Figure 3 (As shown). The outer boundary of the flexible foil region 320 smoothly transitions to the top and bottom outer boundaries of the pad 320, respectively.

[0034] According to one or more embodiments, the connection structure may be present on the second side or back side of one of the outermost pads 310a or 310e (of the plurality of pads 310). According to one or more embodiments, two or more connection structures may be present on the second side of one or more of the two outermost pads 310a or 310e (of the plurality of pads 310). According to one or more embodiments, the connection structure may be present on the second side of the flexible foil PCB between the two outermost pads 310a or 310e (of the plurality of pads 310). According to one or more embodiments, the connection structure may be present on the second side of the inner pads 310b, 310c, or 310d (of the plurality of pads 310). According to one or more embodiments, the connection structure may be present on the second side of the flexible foil PCB substrate between any of the plurality of pads 310. According to one or more embodiments, the connection structure comprises a rigid PCB mounted on an interposer or the back side of the pads, to which the connection structure is attached.

[0035] Figure 3 It is used for electrical coupling, control and drive. Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A or Figure 2B A circuit diagram of an example LED circuit 300 on a flexible foil PCB. Circuit 300 can form a lighting device or part of a lighting device, which can be coupled to the vehicle's external control and / or power bus 318 to form a motor vehicle lighting system. Figure 3 In the example shown, multiple interposers or pads 310 are spaced apart from each other along the horizontal direction 301. Although in Figure 3 Nine (9) interposers / pads 310 are shown, but within the scope of the embodiments described herein, the circuit may be formed with as few as two (2) interposers / pads or more than nine (9) interposers / pads. A pair of diodes, including a first LED 302 and a second LED 304, may be disposed on each of the interposers / pads 310.

[0036] The first LED and the second LED 302 / 304 on each of the interposer / pad 310 can be in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction 301 (by... Figure 3The LEDs are spaced apart from each other on the horizontal direction 301 (indicated by arrow 305). It has been found that the uniformity of light emitted by the lighting device strongly depends on the position of the LEDs along the horizontal direction 301, but remains unchanged by offsets perpendicular to the horizontal direction. This allows for the placement of two LEDs on a single interposer / pad, thus enabling multicolor operation of the lighting device. In the embodiment, the first and second LEDs 302 / 304 on each interposer / pad 310 can be spaced apart vertically on the horizontal direction 301, equidistant from an imaginary line extending through the lighting device in the horizontal direction 301. Figure 3 (Not shown in the image). In an embodiment, the first LED 302 may be configured to emit light of a first color when energized, and the second LED 304 may be configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color when energized, thereby allowing the lighting device to illuminate the light-emitting area of ​​the lighting device with two colors independently of each other.

[0037] Although this article is relatively Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A and Figure 2B The embodiment described herein is a flexible foil PCB, but circuit 300 and all other circuits described herein can also be used on other substrates. For example, all LEDs can be mounted on a single substrate, such as a rigid PCB. Alternatively, LEDs can be mounted as follows: Figure 3 The pads shown are arranged on multiple interposers / pads, and the interposers can be rigid PCB interposers or flexible PCB pads, which are connected by electrical contact lines, which can be wavy or have different shapes.

[0038] exist Figure 3 In the example illustrated, pairs of LEDs can be electrically coupled together using an anti-parallel configuration. At least one electrical contact wire can be used to drive the LEDs in opposite directions, for example, energizing all the first LEDs while de-energizing all the second LEDs, and vice versa. In this way, current in one direction can light an LED with one emission color, while a reverse current can light an LED with a second emission color. By using pulse width modulation (PWM) current, an intermediate color between these two emission colors can be generated depending on the ratio of the pulses in the two directions.

[0039] exist Figure 3 In the example shown in the diagram, three electrical contact lines 306, 308, and 312 are provided. These contact lines can have the aforementioned wavy or other shapes. Groups of LED pairs can be electrically coupled together in series via electrical contact line 312. For example, as Figure 3As shown, three pairs of LEDs can be connected in series via electrical contact line 312, and each of the six (6) groups of LEDs can be electrically coupled to both electrical contact lines 306 and 308. Electrical contact lines 306 and 308 can be the anode contact line and the cathode contact line, respectively.

[0040] Using the above reference Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A and / or Figure 2B The described flexible foil PCB, in Figure 3 In the example illustrated, three (3) electrical contact wires 306, 308 and 312 can be provided in two vertically stacked metal layers. Figure 3 (Not shown in the diagram, but described in the above embodiments), or may be provided in a single layer. The control circuit 316 may use an external power supply and electrical contacts 306 and / or 308 to control and energize the first LED 302 in each pair independently of the second LED 304 in each pair.

[0041] As mentioned above, such as Figure 3 The electrical contact lines 306, 308, and 312 shown can be provided in multiple vertically stacked metal layers. Each metal layer can contain up to three (3) electrical contact lines. Figure 3 In the example shown in the diagram, to simplify the design and electrical coupling, it may be desirable to place (multiple) anode and / or cathode lines (i.e., electrical contact lines 306, 308) in an embedded metal layer or bottom metal layer in the metal layer below the LED, and electrically couple (multiple) anode and / or cathode lines to the LED pads through vias. Figure 1B An example is shown where three embedded electrical contact lines (see electrical contact lines 155, 156, and 157) in the same layer beneath the LED are used to control and drive an LED on a flexible foil PCB. The electrical contact lines in different layers can be at least partially electrically coupled via vias.

[0042] In some embodiments, the controller may be an internal controller and may be disposed on the back side of the interposer, opposite to the side on which the LEDs are disposed. The controller can thus be connected to one or more embedded electrical contacts (e.g., electrical contacts in a vertically stacked bottom metal layer) and electrically coupled to first, second, and possibly third LEDs to actuate them independently in groups. While in some embodiments the controller may be on the bottom side of the interposer / pad, in some embodiments it may also be on the top side. Each interposer / pad may include one or more controllers, which may be disposed on one interposer / pad in a group to control the entire group together, or one or more controllers may be disposed on at least two interposers / pads in a group to control the entire group. As described above, in some embodiments, the controller may be configured to drive the LEDs in a PWM mode to produce a combination of colors.

[0043] exist Figure 3 In the example illustrated, each LED pair 302 and 304 comprises three (3) pairs of LEDs, for a total of six (6) LEDs. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that, consistent with the embodiments described herein, each group can include more or fewer LEDs. In some embodiments, the series-connected LEDs can be equalized by at least one resistor in each group of LEDs to generate a static light source in which all groups are connected in parallel and all LEDs of one color can be lit simultaneously. In other embodiments, the groups of LED pairs can be addressed independently without equalization resistors, allowing for dynamic lighting effects when the series-connected groups of LEDs of one color are lit independently of each other.

[0044] Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 4C , Figure 4D and Figure 4E Showing the target Figure 3 The example circuits show different electrical contact schemes. In each diagram, 418 represents... Figure 3 The diagram shows the LED group as described above. Figure 4A In this system, LEDs with opposite polarities and different colors are driven through two contact areas, allowing three (3) independent dynamic segments or groups, each with two (2) colors. Figure 4B In this system, LEDs with opposite polarities and different colors are driven through a single (1) contact area, allowing two (2) independent LEDs, each with two (2) different color dynamic segments or groups. Figure 4C In this system, LEDs with opposite polarities and different colors are driven through two (2) contact areas, allowing four (4) independent dynamic segments or groups, each with two (2) colors. Figure 4DIn this configuration, LEDs with opposite polarities and different colors are driven through two (2) contact areas, allowing seven (7) LEDs, each with two (2) different color dynamic segments or groups. Figure 4E In this process, LEDs with opposite polarities and different colors are driven through two (2) contact areas, allowing m independent dynamic segments or groups, each with two (2) colors. Figure 4D and Figure 4E The embodiment shown in the figure can maximize the utilization of the metal layer.

[0045] Multiple LEDs on each interposer / pad can be either discrete LED packages or a single multi-color LED package. In both cases, a reference can be used. Figure 3 , Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 4C , Figure 4D and / or Figure 4E The described circuit supplies power to the LEDs independently of each other. The LEDs of different colors in each pair can be protected by transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes. Although Figure 3 The image shows two colors of LEDs, in examples such as... Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 4C , Figure 4D , Figure 4E In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, more than two LED colors can be used, for example, three colors. The LEDs can be turned on independently or in groups to generate two- or three-function lighting devices (as described in more detail below).

[0046] In the embodiments described herein, the light-emitting areas of the first and second LEDs can remain small, such as the size of the LUXEON Versat 2020 or smaller. For dual-color LEDs, the size can also remain small, such as the size of the LUXEON Versat DT 3535 dual-color device or smaller. In some embodiments, adjacent LED pairs can have alternating color sequences, while in other embodiments, adjacent LED pairs can have the same color sequence.

[0047] Figure 5A and Figure 5B It shows the method for... Figure 1A , 1B A circuit diagram of an example circuit for electrically coupling, controlling, and driving LEDs on a flexible foil PCB of type 2A or 2B, wherein the first and second diodes in each pair are located on different interposer pads. Figure 5AThe diagram shows a first circuit 500, in which two LEDs in an LED pair 318 are arranged on a single interposer / pad 310, and independent on / off control for each LED in the pair 318 can be implemented by reversing the current flowing through a single electrical contact line. A second circuit 550 is also shown, in which the first LED 502 and the second LED 504 in the pair are provided on separate interposers / pads 510, and similarly, independent on / off control for each LED in the pair can be implemented by reversing the current flowing through a single electrical contact line. The LED pair may have the same color.

[0048] Similar to Figure 3 The example shown in the diagram is... Figure 5A In the circuit 550 shown in the diagram, pairs of LEDs can be electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration. An electrical contact wire can be used to drive the LEDs in opposite directions, for example, energizing the first LED while de-energizing the second, and vice versa. In this way, current in one direction can light an LED with one emission color, while reverse current can light an LED with a second emission color. By using pulse width modulation (PWM) current, an intermediate color between these two emission colors can be generated depending on the ratio of the pulses in the two directions.

[0049] exist Figure 5B In the illustrated example, first and second LEDs 502 and 504 are divided into groups 503 and 507. In the illustrated example, half of the LEDs (e.g., first LED 502) are in the first group 503, while the other half (e.g., second LED 504) are in the second group 507. The first LED 502 is series-coupled to the first electrical contact line 512. The second LED 504 is anti-parallel-coupled to the first LED 502 series-coupled to the second electrical contact line 514. Each of groups 503 and 507 is electrically coupled to a common anode or common cathode line 516. Although... Figure 5B As not shown, each LED pair can be individually connected to another electrical contact line, which can be powered externally along with the common anode or cathode line 516 to illuminate the LEDs using a PWM signal. This is in Figure 6 As shown, an elongated light source can be constructed, where adjacent halves of the LEDs form segments of the elongated light source. These segments can be independently illuminated by a PWM signal, in conjunction with other segments in the light source. Thus, the light source can be dynamically illuminated by turning segments on and off. Such a light source, as described in more detail above, can also withstand the reliability requirements of motor vehicles.

[0050] Figure 6The circuit diagram shows seven pairs of LEDs 503, each electrically coupled to a common anode or cathode line 602. Each pair of LEDs 503 is individually coupled to another electrical contact line 604, 606, 608, 610, 612, 614, or 618. Given the number of electrical contact lines required to drive each pair or segment of LEDs, in some embodiments the number of LEDs can be limited to fourteen (14) or seven (7) pairs, as described above, allowing for the use of eight (8) electrical contact lines in three (3) metal layers to accommodate them. In some embodiments, the lighting device can consist of only a single pair or segment of LEDs, which can significantly reduce the number of electrical contact lines required to independently drive the light source and allow them to be driven without the use of a controller.

[0051] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 6 The circuit shown in the diagram can form a lighting device, or a part of a lighting device, similar to the one mentioned above. Figure 3 The embodiments described in Figure 4 (although for simplicity, although...) Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 6 (Not shown in the image), this lighting device can be coupled to the vehicle's external control and / or power bus to form a motor vehicle lighting system. Figure 5B In the example shown in the diagram, multiple interposers or pads 510 are spaced apart from each other along the horizontal direction 501. Although Figure 5B The diagram illustrates six (6) interposers / pads 510, but within the scope of the embodiments described herein, the circuit can be formed with as few as two (2) interposers / pads, or well more than six (6) interposers / pads (e.g., as shown in the figure). Figure 5A As shown in the image).

[0052] exist Figure 5B The example shown in the diagram provides three electrical contact wires 512, 514, and 516 (as well as...). Figure 6 The fourth contact line shown connects to each individual LED pair; this electrical contact line may have a wavy or other shape as described above when crossing the interposer / pad 510. (Referring to the above reference...) Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A and Figure 2B The described flexible foil PCB, in Figure 5B In the example illustrated, electrical contact wires can be provided in two vertically stacked metal layers. Figure 5B (Not shown in the diagram, but described in the above embodiments). Control circuit ( Figure 5B (Not shown) can use an external power source and electrical contact wires ( Figure 5B (not shown in the image) The first LED 502 is controlled and powered independently of the second LED 504.

[0053] As previously mentioned, electrical contact lines can be provided in multiple vertically stacked metal layers. Each metal layer can contain up to three (3) electrical contacts. Figure 5B In the example shown in the diagram, to simplify the design and electrical coupling, it may be desirable to place the common anode or cathode line 516 in a buried metal layer or bottom metal layer in the metal layer below the LED, and electrically couple the (multiple) anode and / or cathode lines to the pads of the LED through vias. Figure 1B An example is shown where three embedded electrical contact lines (see electrical contact lines 155, 156, and 157) in the same layer beneath the LED are used to control and drive an LED on a flexible foil PCB. The electrical contact lines in different layers can be at least partially electrically coupled via vias.

[0054] In some embodiments, the controller may be an internal controller and may be disposed on the back side of the interposer, opposite to the side on which the LEDs are disposed. The controller can thus be connected to one or more embedded electrical contacts (e.g., electrical contacts in a vertically stacked bottom metal layer) and electrically coupled to first, second, and possibly third LEDs to actuate them independently in groups. While in some embodiments the controller may be on the bottom side of the interposer / pad, in some embodiments it may also be on the top side. Each interposer / pad may include one or more controllers, which may be disposed on one interposer / pad in a group to control the entire group together, or one or more controllers may be disposed on at least two interposers / pads in a group to control the entire group. As described above, in some embodiments, the controller may be configured to drive the LEDs in a PWM mode to produce a combination of colors.

[0055] exist Figure 5B In the example shown, each group of LEDs 502 and 507 comprises three (3) LEDs. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that, consistent with the embodiments described herein, more or fewer LEDs may be included in a group. In some embodiments, the LEDs in series may be protected by at least one TVS diode.

[0056] When using two electrical connectors, lighting devices may be limited to LEDs driven as described herein. Limiting LEDs to one pair per group can support lighting devices with a single addressable LED without the need for a controller.

[0057] In some embodiments, LEDs electrically coupled together in series can meet the requirements of the European Extra Low Voltage (ELV) Directive (e.g., U < 48 volts).

[0058] In some embodiments, the second LED may not be an LED, but may be a diode. (See references above.) Figure 3 As described, LED / diode pairs can be arranged on one or more substrates.

[0059] Figure 7 Yes Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A or Figure 2B A circuit diagram of an example circuit for electrically coupling, controlling, and driving LEDs on a flexible foil PCB, where the second diode in each pair is not an LED. Figure 7 The example shown illustrates two sets of LED / diode pairs 752A and 752B. The first set of LED / diode pairs 752A comprises four (4) LED / diode pairs 750A, each LED / diode including an LED 702A which is an LED and a second diode 704A which is not an LED. The second set of LED / diode pairs 752B comprises four (4) LED / diode pairs 750B, each LED / diode pair including an LED 702B which is an LED and a second diode 704B which is not an LED. Although Figure 7 The diagram illustrates two (2) groups, each with four (4) pairs of LED / diode pairs; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that, consistent with the embodiments described herein, different numbers of groups and different numbers of LED / diode pairs per group can be used. For example, see reference to... Figure 8 An embodiment comprising five (5) groups of LED / diode pairs is described, and references are provided. Figure 9 An embodiment comprising seven (7) groups of LED / diode pairs is described. In some embodiments, each LED may be protected by a TVS diode.

[0060] Within each diode pair 750, the first diode / LED 702 is electrically coupled to the corresponding second diode 704 in anti-parallel connection. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the LED / diode pairs in the first group 752A can have a direct current-carrying direction opposite to that in the LED / diode pairs in the second group 752B. For example... Figure 7 The even number of LED / diode pairs 750 shown in the diagram can halve the total number of LEDs in a lighting device. By arranging these pairs such that their LEDs / diodes are connected in antiparallel and one half of the diode pair is energized in a direct direction opposite to the other half, the two halves of the LEDs in the LED / diode pair can be driven independently by a PWM signal, such that a positive signal energizes one half of the LEDs and a negative signal lights the other half.

[0061] Figure 8The diagram shows a circuit of five (5) groups of 752 LED / diode pairs 750, each electrically coupled to a common anode or cathode line 810. Each group of 752 in the LED / diode pair 750 is also individually coupled to another electrical contact line 806, 808, 810, 812, 814 for independent control of the LEDs in the group as described above. The direct current direction of the LEDs in each group can be as follows: Figure 7 The circuit diagram is shown in the image.

[0062] Figure 9 The diagram shows a circuit of seven (7) groups of 752 LED / diode pairs 750, each electrically coupled to a common anode or cathode line 902. Each group of 752 in the LED / diode pair 750 is also individually coupled to another electrical contact line 904, 906, 908, 910, 912, 914, or 916 for independent control of the LEDs in the group as described above. The through-path direction of the LEDs in each group can alternatively be as follows: Figure 7 Or as shown in Figure 8, energize.

[0063] Figure 7 , Figure 8 or Figure 9 The circuit shown in the diagram can form a lighting device, or a part of a lighting device, similar to the one mentioned above. Figure 3 The described embodiments (although, for the sake of simplicity) Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 6 (Not shown in the image), this lighting device can be coupled to the vehicle's external control and / or power bus to form a motor vehicle lighting system. In, for example... Figure 7 , Figure 8 or Figure 9 The embodiments illustrated in the figure are Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A or Figure 2B In embodiments where flexible foil PCBs are used in combination, each LED / diode pair 750 can be provided on each interposer / pad.

[0064] The first and second diodes 702 / 704 on each of the interposer / pads can be in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. Figure 7 (Not identified in the text) are spaced apart from each other. It has been found that the uniformity of light emitted by a lighting device strongly depends on the position of the LEDs along the horizontal direction, but remains unchanged by offsets perpendicular to the horizontal direction. This achieves the placement of two adjacent diodes on an interposer / pad, thus enabling multicolor operation of the lighting device. In an embodiment, the first and second diodes 702 / 704 on each interposer / pad can be spaced apart vertically, equidistant from an imaginary line extending horizontally through the lighting device. Figure 7(Not shown in the image). In an embodiment, the first LED 702A in the first group 750A can be configured to emit light of a first color when powered on, and the first LED 702B in the second group 750B can be configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color when powered on, thereby allowing the lighting device to illuminate the light-emitting area of ​​the lighting device with two colors independently of each other.

[0065] Although this article is relatively Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A and Figure 2B The flexible foil PCB is described in the embodiment, but... Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The circuits illustrated in the diagram, as well as all other circuits described herein, can also be used on other substrates. For example, all LED / diode pairs can be mounted on a single substrate, such as a rigid PCB. Alternatively, LED / diode pairs can be arranged as follows: Figure 3 The pads shown are arranged on multiple interposers / pads, and the interposers can be rigid PCB interposers or flexible PCB pads, which are connected by electrical contact lines, which can be wavy or have different shapes.

[0066] exist Figure 8 In the example shown in the diagram, six (6) electrical contact wires are provided. Figure 9 The example shown in the diagram provides eight (8) electrical contact wires. These electrical contact wires, as they extend between the intermediate layers, can have the aforementioned wavy or other shapes. Using the reference above... Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2A and / or Figure 2B The described flexible foil PCB, in Figure 8 In the example illustrated, electrical contact wires can be provided in two or three vertically stacked metal layers. Figure 8 (Not shown in the diagram, but described in the above embodiments). Figure 9 In the example illustrated, electrical contact wires can be provided in three vertically stacked metal layers. Figure 9 (Not shown in the diagram, but described in the above embodiments). Control circuit ( Figure 7 , 8 (not shown in 9) can use an external power supply ( Figure 7 , 8 (not shown in 9) and the LEDs in each group are independently controlled and energized by electrical contact lines.

[0067] As previously mentioned, electrical contact lines can be provided in multiple vertically stacked metal layers. Each metal layer can contain up to three (3) electrical contacts. Figure 7 , 8In the example shown in Figure 8, to simplify design and electrical coupling, it may be desirable to place the common anode or cathode line in a buried metal layer or bottom metal layer in the metal layer below the LED, and electrically couple the (multiple) anode and / or cathode lines to the LED pads through vias. Figure 1B An example is shown where three embedded electrical contact lines (see electrical contact lines 155, 156, and 157) in the same layer beneath the LED are used to control and drive an LED on a flexible foil PCB. The electrical contact lines in different layers can be at least partially electrically coupled via vias.

[0068] In some embodiments, the controller may be an internal controller and may be disposed on the back side of the interposer, opposite to the side where the LEDs are disposed. The controller can thus be connected to one or more embedded electrical contacts (e.g., electrical contacts in a vertically stacked bottom metal layer) and electrically coupled to first, second, and possibly third LEDs to actuate them independently in groups. While in some embodiments the controller may be on the bottom side of the interposer / pad, in some embodiments it may also be on the top side. Each interposer / pad may include one or more controllers, which may be disposed on one interposer / pad in a group to control the entire group together, or one or more controllers may be disposed on at least two interposers / pads in a group to control the entire group. As described above, in some embodiments, the controller may be configured to drive the LEDs with a PWM mode to produce a combined output light color. In some embodiments, the controller may be an internal controller and may be disposed on the back side of the interposer, opposite to the side where the LEDs are disposed. The controller can thus be connected to one or more embedded electrical contacts (e.g., electrical contacts in a vertically stacked bottom metal layer) and electrically coupled to first, second, and possibly third LEDs to actuate them independently in groups. While in some embodiments the controller may be on the bottom side of the interposer / pad, in other embodiments it may be on the top side. Each interposer / pad may include one or more controllers, which may be located on one interposer / pad in a group to control the entire group together, or one or more controllers may be located on at least two interposers / pads in a group to control the entire group. As described above, in some embodiments, the controller may be configured to drive LEDs in a PWM mode to produce a combination of colors.

[0069] In some embodiments, the two groups can be arranged alternately. In some embodiments, LEDs electrically coupled together in series can comply with ELV directive requirements (e.g., U < 48 volts).

[0070] Given the number of electrical contact wires required to drive each LED pair or segment, in situations such as Figure 9In some embodiments illustrated in the figure, the number of groups or segments can be limited to fourteen, as described above, allowing for the use of eight (8) electrical contact wires in three (3) metal layers to accommodate them. In some embodiments, the lighting device can consist of only one LED in any series connection, which can significantly reduce the number of electrical contact wires required to independently drive the light source and enable them to be driven without the use of a controller.

[0071] The individual addressability of groups of different colored LEDs is very useful for several different motor vehicle lighting functions. For example, such a lamp can be used in a combination of DRLs and / or position lights with turn signals. Additionally or alternatively, such a lamp can be used in a combination of position lights and turn signals. Additionally or alternatively, such a lamp can be used in a combination of parking lights and / or taillights with turn signals.

[0072] For example, for a combination of DRLs and / or position lights with turn signals, two LED colors, such as ECE colorbox white and ECE colorbox amber, can be used to produce independent functions. Similarly, for a combination of stop lights and / or taillights and turn signals, two LED colors, such as ECE colorbox red and ECE colorbox amber, can be used to produce independent functions. In some embodiments, the two LED colors can be warm white and cool white, or cyan and green. In some embodiments, the two colors can be selected from cyan, ECE white, cool white, warm white, SAE yellow / ECE amber, or ECE red. When using three LED colors, these three colors can be red, green, and blue, although other colors are possible. In such embodiments, intermediate colors can be produced by mixing the light output of multiple LED colors driven by a PWM whose pulse ratio in each direction determines the total color output of the lighting device. Similarly, for dual-color LEDs, the two colors can be selected as cool white, warm white, amber, or red, and intermediate colors can be produced by mixing the light output of LEDs driven in parallel.

[0073] In addition to the aforementioned vehicle lighting functions, the embodiments described herein are also highly useful for other functions, such as swiping signaling or dynamic welcome light functionality. To achieve such functionality, the lighting devices described herein can create animations by segmenting the light source into segments with the ability to turn each segment on and off independently of other segments. Furthermore, although this document describes flexible foil PCBs and circuits for vehicle lighting systems, those skilled in the art will understand that this technology can also be applied to other lighting applications where independent control of multi-color LEDs and / or mixed output LED colors is desired, such as luminaires for general lighting purposes, or strip lights for vehicle or other decorative lighting. In some embodiments, any lighting device described herein may be a luminaire.

[0074] Figure 10 This is a flowchart 1000 of an example method for manufacturing a lighting device according to any embodiment described herein. Figure 10 In the example illustrated, the method includes obtaining at least one PCBA (1002). The PCBA may include at least one substrate and at least one pair of diodes on the substrate. A first diode and a second diode in each pair may be electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration, and at least one first diode in each pair may be an LED. The at least one pair of diodes on the PCBA may be electrically coupled to at least an anode or cathode line (1004) to power at least one first diode in each pair via a drive current. The first diode in each pair may be energized by a drive current that forward-biases the first diode and reverse-biases the second diode, and may be de-energized by reverse-biasing the first diode and forward-biasing the second diode.

[0075] Figure 11 This is a flowchart 1100 of an example method for manufacturing a motor vehicle lighting system according to any embodiment described herein. Figure 11 In the example illustrated, the method may include obtaining at least one lighting device (1102). The lighting device may include at least one substrate and at least one pair of diodes on the substrate. The first and second diodes in each pair may be electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration. The at least first diode in each pair may be an LED. The lighting device may also include at least an anode or cathode wire that can supply power to the at least first diode in each pair via a drive current. The first diode in each pair may be energized by a drive current that forward-biases the first diode and reverse-biases the second diode, and may be de-energized by reverse-biasing the first diode and forward-biasing the second diode. The lighting device may be electrically coupled to at least one of a communication bus or control bus of a motor vehicle (1104).

[0076] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, based on the description herein, embodiments of the present invention can be designed in software using a hardware description language (HDL) (such as, for example, Verilog or VHDL). The HDL design can simulate the behavior of an electronic system, and this design can be synthesized and ultimately fabricated into a hardware device. Furthermore, the HDL design can be stored in a computer product and loaded into the computer system prior to hardware manufacturing.

[0077] The embodiments have been described in detail, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that, given this description, modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising: At least one substrate; At least one electrical contact wire; At least one pair of diodes on at least one substrate within at least one electrical contact line, wherein the first and second diodes in each pair are electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration, and at least the first diode in each pair is a light-emitting diode (LED). and At least a first portion of the at least one electrical contact wire is electrically coupled to one side of the at least one pair of diodes, and a second portion of the at least one electrical contact wire is electrically coupled to the other side of the at least one pair of diodes, so as to supply power to the first diode in each pair via a drive current, whereby the first diode in each pair is energized by a drive current that forward-biases the first diode and reverse-biases the second diode, and is de-energized by a drive current that reverse-biases the first diode and forward-biases the second diode.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the second diode in each pair is not an LED.

3. The lighting device of claim 2, wherein all the first diodes are configured to emit light of the same color when energized.

4. The lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the first group of the first diodes is configured to emit light of a first color when energized, and the second group of the first diodes is configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color when energized.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the second diode in each pair is an LED.

6. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein all the first diodes and the second diodes are configured to emit light of the same color when energized.

7. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the first diode is configured to emit light of a first color when energized, and the second diode is configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color when energized.

8. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–7, wherein the at least one substrate is a rigid printed circuit board (PCB) interlayer.

9. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–8, wherein all the diode pairs are located on the same substrate.

10. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–8, wherein each of the diode pairs is located on separate substrates.

11. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–8, wherein the first diode and the second diode in each pair are located on separate substrates.

12. The lighting device according to any one of claims 9–11, wherein the separated substrates are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction, and the first diode and the second diode in each pair are separated from each other perpendicular to the horizontal direction.

13. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the lighting device is embedded in a polymer.

14. The lighting device of claim 12 further includes a diffusion polymer above the circuit, the diffusion polymer having a maximum diffuser thickness and a minimum diffuser thickness, wherein the distance between the maximum values ​​of the diffuser thickness corresponds to the distance between LEDs of the same color.

15. The lighting device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the maximum thickness of the diffuser corresponds to the distance between LEDs of the same color.

16. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–14, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a plurality of intermediate layers connected by corrugated conductors, wherein the corrugated conductors are a plurality of electrical contact lines electrically coupled to at least two electrical contact lines to supply power to a diode.

17. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–14, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a plurality of PCB pads connected by a plurality of corrugated thin metal films, and includes at least one electrical contact line in the plurality of corrugated thin metal films, wherein the plurality of corrugated thin metal films are isolated from each other by a polymer to form a flexible foil PCB assembly (PCBA).

18. The lighting device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the plurality of interposers are rigid PCB interposers.

19. The lighting device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the plurality of interposer layers are flexible PCB pads.

20. The lighting device according to any one of claims 10–19, wherein the diode pairs on the interposer or pads are connected in a set manner.

21. The lighting device according to any one of claims 10–19, wherein the diode pairs located on the interposer or pad are connected in a series-connected manner in a plurality of groups.

22. The lighting device according to any one of claims 10–19, wherein the diode pairs located on the interposer or pad are connected in a plurality of individually driveable groups, wherein at least: the first group includes LEDs configured to emit light of a first color when energized, and the second group includes LEDs configured to emit light of a second color when energized.

23. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–22, wherein the lighting device is embedded in silicone resin.

24. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1–23, wherein the at least one pair of diodes is electrically and communicatively coupled to at least one internal or external controller and at least one internal or external driver, whereby the first diode and the second diode are driven by a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to individually drive the first diode and the second diode connected in series with the positive or negative portion of the PWM signal.

25. The lighting device according to any one of claims 4–24, wherein an intermediate color is generated by mixing the light output of the diodes by driving the diodes in a PWM mode, wherein the pulse ratio in each direction defines the combined color of the lighting device.

26. The lighting device according to any one of claims 4–25, wherein the first color and the second color are one of the following: cyan, ECE white, cool white, warm white, SAE yellow / ECE amber, or ECE red.

27. The lighting device according to any one of claims 4–21, wherein the first color and the second color are ECE color box white and ECE color box amber, respectively.

28. A luminaire comprising the lighting device according to any one of claims 1–27.

29. A motor vehicle lighting system comprising a lighting device according to any one of claims 1–27.

30. A method for manufacturing a lighting device, comprising: Obtain at least one printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), including: At least one substrate; At least one pair of diodes on the at least one substrate, wherein the first and second diodes in each pair are electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration, and at least the first diode in each pair is a light-emitting diode (LED). The at least one pair of diodes is electrically coupled to at least a first wire and a second wire to power at least the first diode in each pair via a drive current, whereby the first diode in each pair is energized by a drive current that forward-biases the first diode and reverse-biases the second diode, and de-energized by reverse-biasing the first diode and forward-biasing the second diode.

31. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle lighting system, the method comprising: Obtain lighting equipment, which includes: At least one substrate; At least one pair of diodes on the at least one substrate, wherein the first and second diodes in each pair are electrically coupled together in an anti-parallel configuration, and at least the first diode in each pair is a light-emitting diode (LED). At least one anode line and one cathode line are configured to power at least one first diode in each pair via a drive current, whereby the first diode in each pair is energized by a drive current that forward-biases the first diode and reverse-biases the second diode, and de-energized by reverse-biasing the first diode and forward-biasing the second diode; and The lighting device is electrically coupled to at least one of the vehicle's communication bus or control bus.

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